Issue #10

Baked Trout

Olive Oil to taste
2 whole rainbow trout, gutted and cleaned
1 TS of minced garlic
Sprig of Rosemary
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 large onion, sliced
2 thin slices lemon
2 tablespoons hot water

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9x13-inch
baking dish with about 1 teaspoon olive oil.

2. Place trout in the prepared baking dish and coat with
remaining olive oil. Season the inside and outside
of fish with dill, thyme, and salt. Slice the skin in a
repeating X pattern. Stuff fish with onion slices and
rosemary; grind pepper over the top. Place 1 lemon or
orange slice on each fish.

3. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes; add water
to dish. Continue baking until fish flake easily with a
fork, about 10 minutes more.

Roasted Vegetables

Olive Oil to taste
Vegetables of any variety (we used carrots, beets, asparagus, peas and shallots)
Salt
Cracked Pepper
A Cast Iron Pan

1. Slice as desired.
2. If use are using root vegetables, boil them for 20 minutes.
3. Arrange veggies on pan, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and

pepper. Preheat oven to 450 °F.
4. On stovetop, heat until veggies begin to brown on the bottom, then put the

pan into the oven, without flipping the veggies.
5. Cook for 30 minutes.

Of note: Most veggies work great with this method, but we can’t recommend
broccoli or green beans.

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Deviled Eggs

1 Dozen Eggs
1/2 Cup of Mayonaisse
2 tsp of White Vinegar or lemon juice

2 tsp Mustard

1. Place eggs in large pot, cover with water plus 1.5 inch more. Boil. Once boiling
cover and boil for one minute, then remove from heat and let sit for 12
minutes. Then, drop into an ice bath. Peel them under running cold water and
cut in half.

2. Place yolks in a large ziplock bag, then add the other ingredients. Smush it all
together until smooth then cut off a small corner of the bag.

3. Fill the halved whites with the new yolk mixture, squeezed out of the cut
corner and sprinkle with paprika.

Of note: everyone’s Granny adds something different. There’s no wrong answer,
but this is a really solid starting place. You can add dill or beet juice. You can
eyeball most of the ingredients, but be careful measuring your vinegar or
whatever acidic liquid you use.

Our Mom, Queen of Pies

By Granny Eckard
Well it’s winter. A time for slowing down. The garden was done. The fodder was pulled,
wheat was thrashed, hay was in the barn. In the winter we had more time for things that
needed to be done inside, like catching up on our mending, piecing quilt tops, sewing, baking.
Baking - that reminds me of Mom’s cozy kitchen. If you read my article last winter
you already know our family heated and cooked with wood. Part of the house
didn’t benefit from this heat but some days the living room, and especially the
kitchen, would be warm and cozy in the winter. We never went out for a restaurant
meal. We cooked three meals a day and some days the fire did not go out if we
were canning, doing wash, or baking. We enjoyed that heat on a really cold day.
One winter, in the early 60s, our Dad drove to St. Augustine with a load of school desks.
Since he was coming back empty he decided to bring home some citrus. By the time he
got home we had had a snow storm and local traffic wasn’t moving much so we were
all stuck at home. We loved the oranges, but Mom was especially excited about the
bushel bag of lemons. At least we thought they were lemons, very sour yellow ovals.

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But they were huge! What Mom knew New Year,
to do with lemons was make lemon New Dentist!
meringue Pies. And make pies she
did. Dozens. Every flat surface in Welcome Dr.
the kitchen was covered with lemon McDonald to
pies. I don’t have a clear memory of our team!
what we did with all those pies but
I do remember they were delicious. Accepting New Patients

Our Mom was the Queen of Pies. 1321 N. Center St
There probably was never a time that Hickory, NC 28601
she could not find something in the
house with which to make a pie: sweet (828) 327-8300
potatoes, apples, peaches, pumpkin,
rhubarb. But lemons were a novelty
in our house and she was determined
to make use of every single one of
those giant lemons. By the way,
lemon meringue is my favorite pie.

Bon appetit!



We’ve noticed the Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina doing some really good work
across Western North Carolina. I think we all agree that the wild and untamed parts of
our mountains and foothills are so very important, and the group seeks to preserve as
many of those spaces as possible.

Oh this page is Paddy’s Creek, land in Burke County that the group recently purchased from
South Mountains Children and Family Services for transfer to Lake James State Park. On
the next page you’ll see Bob’s Creek State Natural Area, . Foothills Conservancy just helped
purchase the second phase of this state natural area for permanent conservation. We’re
very excited about their next project, near Downtown Morganton, which aims to provide
a green space in the heart of the city. We think that’s a smart move that will boost tourism.

Foothills Conservancy purchased the 41-acre Whippoorwill Dairy Farm and donated it to
State Parks in 2016. They were thrilled when Fonta Flora Brewery asked to partner with
them to make their farm haus brewery a reality. The partnership has helped protect our
history and our land while providing an interesting space for a brewery. We appreciate
that the group often thinks outside the box to provide the best solution for preservation.

We asked the group to tell us about what they do, and we are impressed by the scope
of their organization. We are happy to shine a light on their work and if you’re looking
for a good place to donate to, this is a strong choice that will help protect our land.

Paddy’s Creek: land purchased
from South Mountains Children and
Family Services for transfer to Lake

James State Park.

ABOUT FOOTHILLS CONSERVANCY OF NORTH CAROLINA:

Foothills Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nationally accredited non-profit regional land
trust that protects the fabric and character of Western North Carolina’s landscape
forever and for the benefit of all.
We preserve the natural and cultural heritage of our region by conserving scenic
and recreational landscapes, productive farms and forests, healthy watersheds,
rich biodiversity, and vital wildlife habitat.
Foothills Conservancy serves eight counties with its office located in downtown
Morganton.
Our vision is that Foothills Conservancy’s region is a thriving place to live and
visit, with beautiful views; abundant locally grown food; healthy forests; access
to exceptional recreation opportunities; diverse, native wildlife; and clean water.

OUR CONSERVATION WORK:

Since its beginning in 1995, Foothills Conservancy has permanently protected
more 59,000 acres. Of those, more than 49,000 are available for public access
in popular places like Pisgah National Forest, South Mountains State Park, Lake
James State Park, Chimney Rock State Park, the Linville Gorge, Wilson Creek, and
the Blue Ridge Parkway (to name just a few).
We have worked with landowners to permanently protect and steward over
9,000res of private land through conservation easements or as conservancy-
owned conservation preserves.

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CURRENT PROJECT: Refined Finds.

Our highest priority project right now Shop. Find the perfect piece,
is the acquisition of a 651-acre piece of
land just 10 minutes from downtown or furnish your whole house.
Morganton for a community park and
forest. It will be a hub for outdoor Consign. Sell your home
education and classrooms given its
convenient location less than one-and-a- furnishings quickly and with ease.
half miles from three public schools. The
land will also attract tourists to our area (828) 324-1655
by offering free access to green spaces
close to downtown. shophickorytree.com

Foothills Conservancy will purchase
Phase I (330 acres) of the property in
January 2020 using private contributions
and a grant from N.C. Clean Water
Management Trust Fund. Foothills
anticipates purchasing the remaining
321 acres in June 2020, with $1.8 million
left to raise. Once purchased, Foothills
will work with the City of Morganton and
N.C. State Parks to create a management
plan for the longevity of the community
park. The conservancy will also begin
fundraising for park amenities, such as
a parking lot, pole barn for community
events, outdoor education areas, and
hiking and biking trails.

Artisan Soapery

Traditional Soaps Worth Celebrating

By Carmen Eckard Photos by Jon Eckard

In the Foothills of North Carolina, our traditions are strong. There is a simple beauty
in doing things the way your mom and grandmom did them, especially in a world
that is changing as quickly as ours is. That goes for recipes, old wives’ tales, and
ways to tell when the weather is changing. But the world does move much faster
now, and most of us don’t have time for the more traditional arts that were required
knowledge for the people who settled our hills. Most of us no longer know how
to butcher a hog, for instance, or how to grow medicinal plants, or how to make
a perfect bar of real soap. So we salute the people who are keeping those arts alive.

Katye Fredieu is one of those people. She owns and operates Artisan Soapery in Downtown
Hickory. We watched her make a batch of soap, and her love of the artistry is apparent. The
process is scientific, mathematic, and precise but still leaves room for so much customization.

Most of what’s available at the stores today isn’t soap. That isn’t just an opinion...we aren’t
speaking ill of those products...it’s just that they aren’t soap. They are detergent or cleansers.

soap
/sōp/
noun
1.a substance used with water for washing and cleaning, made of a
compound of natural oils or fats with sodium hydroxide or another
strong alkali, and typically having perfume and coloring added.

For it to qualify as soap, it has to be made of fat/oil and lye (sodium hydroxide). We
hope you aren’t imagining a harsh bar of “Old-Fashioned Lye Soap” that might make your
skin dry and itchy. When properly mixed, there actually isn’t any lye left when you use
the soap. It’s all been altered into a new substance: soap. So why was Granny’s soap so
harsh? Well, soap-making is chemistry, and if you don’t do it right, you can make bad soap.

Katye explains, “Soap is a base (lye) + acid (fat) =salt (soap). Lye is caustic until it saponifies
with the fat (That’s what we call the process when the two join together). Think of 50 sheep
in the center of a meadow as the fat. Now take 45 hungry wolves on the outskirts as lye.
Every time a wolf eats a sheep, it turns into a leprechaun...a completely different molecular
structure than either were before. There will still be 5 sheep left, and that’s your unsaponified
oil that helps leave your skin soft and moisturized. That’s where the knowledge of chemistry
comes in. Too many sheep at the end and your soap will not lather or bubble. It will be greasy
an ineffective. If you have no wolves left over, and no sheep, you risk hurting your skin with
lye heavy soap. It takes years of experience to get this right and to make a quality product.”

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As she works, I’m reminded simultaneously
of my grandmother making cookies
and my high school chemistry teacher,
explaining chemical reactions.

That’s no coincidence. The process is quite
like baking, and the chemistry knowledge is
required. In fact, Katye used to be a baker.
She made elaborate and gorgeous cakes,
but a motorcycle accident left her unable
to do the heavy lifting that career required.

At the same time she found herself needing
a new career, she also struggled to take
care of her skin, newly very sensitive
because of the accident. She experimented
with making small batches of custom
soap, each designed to sooth her skin. She
found her soap to be very healing, which
was intriguing. She also realized that soap-
making had many of the elements of baking
that she loved, and she began to consider

her new passion as a credible business
venture. This, it turns out, was the career
she was looking for. She moved to North
Carolina and opened Artisan Soapery,
which is thriving in its downtown location.

It smells like heaven in there. That’s
because, in addition to the shelves full
of colorful and aesthetically pleasing
soaps, Katye is usually in the back
making more soap. Her business isn’t
only brick and mortar...she also operates
a thriving online store and wholesales
to stores every state in the country.

In these pictures, Katye makes a batch
of soap as she explains the process. She
mixes the fats (a special proprietary blend)
with the lye and mixes for quite some time
to allow for proper saponification. She
also adds colors and fragrances. This soap
is called “Pocket Full of Sunshine” and the
colors are exciting and bold. After she adds

the colors and fragrances, she pours the IV Hydration is the quickest and most effective
mixture into her molds, making beautiful way to hydrate, prepare, and recover when the
swirls as she goes. She also has a special body has become, or will become, depleted
way of shaping her soap into lovely mounds of fluid and vitamins. Our special blend of
before sprinkling them with cosmetic vitamins and medications will help an athlete
grade mica and slicing them. After that, prepare for a rigorous workout or competition,
they just need to be cured then packaged. a traveler reset from jet lag, a patient recover
from illness or surgery, and those wanting to
Don’t take our word that Katye is the best stay well and prevent aging to feel at the top of
soap-maker around. Stop into her shop, their game. 100% of the fluids, vitamins, and
which is by the alley way on Union Square medications are absorbed immediately and
in Hickory. If you are too far to drive, visit provide rapid results.
her website, www.artisansoapery.com.
It doesn’t smell as good as the store, but Feel Your Best!
it still has the ability to get you hooked. Be Your Best!
One DROP at a time.
Katye is a 2018 recipient of the “Top Some of the IV Hydration therapies offered are:
10 Under 40” award presented by • ”About Last Night”- Hangover Relief
Hickory Young Professionals and • ”The Recovery Room”- Recover from illness,
she is the 2019 Entrepreneur of the surgery, or Injury
Year for the city. She’s also been • ”Reset The Clock”- Jet lag recovery
featured in magazines like Our State. • ”Game ON”- Pre and Post workout
• ”Turn Up The Heat”- Fuel your fat burning
Power
• ”The Vice Grip”- Migraine and headache
relief
• ”An Apple A Day”- General wellness

(828) 322-1498

Hogwarts Houses Soap, drying on the
racks at Artisan Soapery

Artisan Soapery has a full product line that includes soap, lotions and other skin-care
items. Pictured above is a special line of soap dedicated to the different houses of
Hogwarts. A surprise hit, Katye has trouble keeping these on the shelves! Different
products are formulated for women, men and children, and even my small boys
have fun when we go in. Remember to shop locally to ensure that the foothills of
North Carolina continue to be a destination for entrepreneurs like Katye Fredieu.

234 Union Square NW, Hickory, NC 28601 artisansoapery.com (828) 850-8480

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We are the preferred providers of oral surgery, wisdom teeth and dental implants
for many area employers. No matter where your patients live or work, they’re close
to one of our offices in Hickory, Lincolnton, and Statesville. Visit our website at www.
omsdrs.com for a complete listing of participating employers and dental plans.

Visit any of our three convenient
offices!

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One Tank Trip

Morganton

By Carmen Eckard Photos by Jon Eckard
Morganton is tucked away in the Catawba River Valley, in the
shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains. With 17,000 residents,
it still feels like a small town. That is, until you go Downtown.
I’m a downtown aficionado. When I’m exploring a new place, the
first thing I do is visit their downtown, and I can almost always see
the heart and soul of a town there. Generally speaking, a small
town means a small downtown, but Morganton bucks that trend.
Downtown Morganton is exciting, thriving, bustling, and fun. It
is filled to the brim with stores that people want to shop in and
restaurants people want to eat in. The brewery scene is vibrant
and exciting.
Walkable streets and friendly people, as well as good city planning
make a downtown visit even better. In short, Morganton has my
vote for the very best downtown in Western North Carolina.

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Of course, there is more to Ben Long was tasked with coming up
Morganton than downtown: their with the subject of the painting. Since the
outdoor recreation is top-notch and building is a place where arts come to life,
extensive. Lake James is quite an asset Mr. Long found it fitting to paint the Nine
which provides many recreational Muses of Greek Literature.
opportunities. Fonta Flora State Trail
is an exciting project that will connect CoMMA describes the art on their
Morganton to Asheville with bike and website, saying “The fresco is anchored
hiking trails. You can already enjoy in the ceiling’s southwest corner by
some stretches of the trail, especially elements of classical architecture that
near Lake James. serve as an outdoor setting for a diverse
Another asset
to Morganton is gathering of people
CoMMA, the City and animals...
of Morganton Presiding over this
Municipal earthbound portion
Auditorium. The of the composition
theatre opened is a domed gazebo
in 1986 and has oriented diagonally
hosted more so that it draws
than 600 shows the eye toward the
in subsequent center of the ceiling
years. The theatre and illusionistically
brings in excellent upward, into the
and affordable twilit, cloud-dappled
entertainment, heavens that
and a venue of dominate the fresco.
this quality and While the two boldly
size is very rare for stylized, empty-eyed
communities the masks appear to
size of Morganton. hover in the sky’s
middle distance and
In 2004, CoMMA look downward in
worked with the this gathering of
renowned artist mortals, the main
Ben Long, who is known for his beautiful celestial players are
frescoes. the Muses themselves-voluptuously
This piece is called “Sacred Dance & the beautiful, perennially youthful women
Muses” and in 2014, it was added to the who cavort among the clouds with
Blue Ridge Heritage Trail. their various signature instruments and
attributes, in some cases gazing down
As you sit in the provided chairs in the on the scene below as if directing their
lobby of CoMMA, you can lean back inspirational powers toward particular
and activate a turntable which rotates individuals in the terrestrial crowd.”
slowly to give you a full view of the
impressive piece. The work is epic, sweeping, and certainly
helps theatre-goers settle into a night of
68

The ceiling at CoMMA in Morganton, 69
painted by artist Ben Long.

70 Treat is an excellent restaurant
with a store as well.

entertainment. You can check their Wham Pow Shrimp: a spicy,
site, commaonline.org. We are crunchy appetizer from Treat.
excited about the touring show The
Color Purple on February 27th. Fish and Chips 71
from Treat
On our visit, we were anxious to get
to downtown, where we found so
many places to visit.

A fast favorite was Adventure Bound
Books, where the owner knows her
books and her customers. Clever
decor and excellent curating make
this book store a cut above the rest,
and it reminded us why book stores
are better than Amazon.

We also popped into Craft’d. This
store blends craft beef with arts &
crafts for a unique boozy experience.

For lunch, we listened to locals’ advice
and headed to Treat. We started with
the Wham Pow, shown at right. Crispy
fried shrimp are covered in a tangy,
spicy and creamy sauce. The taste
is delicate with a particular kick we
enjoyed. We also ate fish and chips,
and the simple dish hit all the right
notes. We enjoyed cocktails served
from a bar covered in shiny pennies
which was quite a visual effect.

After lunch, we shopped in Treat’s
charming retail store before
continuing our downtown adventure.

If you have a sweet tooth, be sure
to stop in at Toasted and Rolled. This
unusual shop serves rolled ice-cream
and Costa Rican food.

The Morganton General Store is a
popular spot. It’s a great place to buy
calendars, t-shirts or our favorite
purchase, a detailed map of the best
places in North Carolina to eat fried
chicken.

We were also excited to check out Oak Hill Iron + Wood. This store features custom
iron work, local art and huge slabs of gorgeous wood. We were dreaming of home
remodels seconds after we entered, and were impressed at the artfulness of the work
we saw.
There are, in fact, many craftsmen and women in Morganton, and we visited Hamilton
Williams’ downtown studio and shop. We were thrilled to find him working on one of
his nautilus pieces. He turns the piece to his specifications then he carves a beautiful
nautilus pattern into it. After glazing and being fired in his kiln, truly gorgeous pieces
emerge.
Mr. Williams’ store also features the work of other local artisans. This is one of many
ways we saw Downtown Morganton businesses supporting each other and the
community. There is pottery from a number of talented potters from across the
region, as well as other types of curated art.
If that store has you feeling artistic, you’ll also want to visit Sketch. It’s a gallery but
it’s much more than that. It’s a space for visitors, artists and community members to
create art themselves. Workshops and classes are available, as is open studio time.
It’s a great space for getting to know new mediums or techniques, and it’s also a great
opportunity to speak with other creative people.

Hamilton Williams holds one of his
popular Nautilus plates.

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Potter Hamilton Williams carving details
into his Nautilus

Root and Vine chef assembles a Reuben
by his wood-fired oven.

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Reuben from Root and Vine Dinnertime in Downtown Morganton is a delight,
Pizza from Root and Vine and you’ll definitely want to try out Root + Vine.
Everything here is scratch-made and delicious.
76 For instance, in the Reuben pictured at left, they
Pizza from Root and Vine baked the bread, butchered and cured the meat,
made and fermented the krout and made the
dressing. The swiss cheese is the only item not
crafted in house, and that’s certainly for the best.
Like wine, fine cheeses should be left to experts.

The restaurant is owned by Brian and
Aimee Miller, who have created an excellent
atmosphere. On the previous pages, you’ll see
Brian assembling a reuben in front of his wood-
fired grill. That grill has made a huge difference
in their menu, and their pizzas are quite popular.

On the previous page, you’ll find a beautiful
dish. It is wood-grilled Scottish salmon, cooked
to perfection, with butternut squash and a wild
mushroom risotto. It included sautéed kale and
was topped with rosemary walnut pesto. The
meal was elegant, with bold and harmonious
flavors.

We didn’t mention the 42 beers on tap, but they
are impossible to miss.

In fact, Morganton is a good place to be thirsty,
as they’ve stayed at the forefront of the craft
brewing industry. Catawba Brewing Company
has one of their four locations here. After you
taste a brew there, we think a trip to Brown
Mountain Bottleworks is in order. There you’ll
find a large rotating selection of craft beers with
at least two ciders on tap. It has a fun atmosphere
and is stocked with games that get conversation
going.

Hands down, our favorite brewery here is Fonta
Flora. They do things differently, and people have
noticed. I’ll let Fonta Flora tell you:

“Fonta Flora Brewery integrates the soul of
agriculture with the artisanship of zymurgy to
create a menagerie of rustic and savory libations.

Let us help you create your dream home

Our design team can assist you in updating your home to make it
the home of your dreams. Visit our store, Steele’s Home Market
for furnishings, accessories or to make an appointment to
have our team come to your home and help you get started!

www.steelesdesign.com

(828) 322-8011

78 Fonta Flora in Downtown Morganton

With an emphasis on seasonal flora, Fonta Kontr Quarte
Flora brings English tradition and Belgian . th Kruger Brother
inspiration to the Appalachian mountains
of North Carolina. Fonta Flora utilizes local February 29, 2020 | 7:30 pm
artists to help conceptualize the notion that J.E. Broyhill Civic Center
fermentation is yet another medium for
creating art. This uniquely artisan approach
to beer yields a sustainable product filled
with culture from our very own community.”

In short, Fonta Flora hasn’t forgotten
that it’s the hops and other agricultural
ingredients that create the perfect beer,
and they respect the plants and their
contributions. They also consider the whole
process of beer making to be an art, and
here at Foothills Digest, we love artists.
The company has expanded in ways that
preserve the culture and heritage that exists
here. Their expanded brewery operations
are now at the historic Whiporwhill Farm,
nestled next to Lake James State Park,
tucked under Linville Gorge, and they are
currently restoring the buildings there.

One look at their beer names gives you a
good idea of the whimsy and style of Fonta
Flora: Rewilding, Blaze the Stratus, ....6 with
my Woes, Supper Table and Triple Hop
Beard, to name a few.

Tickets: $5-32
828.324.8603
WPSymphony.org

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We sincerely hope you’ll take the time to rediscover
Morganton and their downtown. I don’t know of another
downtown where you can lose yourself so thoroughly for a
whole day. Eat, drink, shop, repeat. You’ll have so much fun!

Clayton Pennell

Artist & Naturalist

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Clayton Pennell has a unique eye. Coming from a long line of
sportsmen, Clayton was out in nature before he was even
forming memories. He paints fish and other animals for one
simple reason: he loves them. He began drawing animals in
his childhood, but it wasn’t until after he graduated from Appalachian
State University that he began to develop his own unique style.

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Clayton was a full-time fly-fishing guide in 2016 when people began noticing
the art he was creating in his spare time. The art was unique, precise and
colorful. Clayton’s unique style uses few colors, but the they are always
bold. He doesn’t mix the colors together, creating something that reminds
us of natural pop art, but manages to be so accurate and pitch perfect that
he was invited to join the Blue Ridge Realists, a group of talented artists
who paint realistic art.
One of those people who noticed Clayton’s art is acclaimed artist Bob
Timberlake, who has become a mentor to him. Clayton says that Mr.
Timberlake has been instrumental in his career by encouraging him as he
developed the unique style that is his own, and by helping him begin to
navigate the commercial side of art.
Of Clayton, Mr. Timberlake says, “He is special.” He smiles then adds, “ He
has a good niche with his art.”
By 2018, successful sales to art collectors around the world, as well
exhibitions at the Plantation Wildlife Arts Festival and Southeastern Wildlife
Exposition allowed Clayton to take off the waders and focus on art full-time.
The expansion of Pennell’s family, and new responsibilities as a father also
let Pennell know he was on the right track.

85

Where dreams
come home!

Serving the Hickory Metro since 1968
127 1st Ave NE

Hickory, NC 28601

(828) 322-1005

www.cbbh.com/

Now he spends his days painting, with nature shows
playing in the background, allowing him to watch the
movement of the animals he is painting. His work
often captures the motions of his subject, and it feels
very active.

People often ask Clayton how he chooses the
intense colors in his art. He says, “I look at
what nature already does, then I turn the
volume up on it. If you really look at a bird
feather, they are very fluorescent. I’ll
pick the brightest color in the feather
and go with it.”

We think the result is art that
is simplified and accurate,
but more exciting.

Clayton shows his art
at the Southeastern
Wildlife Exposition,
the Plantation
Wildlife Arts
Festival and
with the
Blue Ridge
Realists.
His art has
raised tens
of thousands
of dollars for
conservation
efforts, and he
is generous in his
work in this area.

You can buy his
art or begin a
conversation about
commissioned
paintings at his website
www.cpennell.com.

The Life Changing Holiday

By Richard Eller

Few of us will look back on Halloween or Thanksgiving and say that holiday
changed our lives. Christmas, aside from the presents we received, will
likely go down much the same way it has in past years, unless you’re
a kid of course. The same applies to Labor Day, Valentine’s and the
Fourth of July. But New Years Day, ah, that’s different.

The new day bringing in the new year always carries the potential
to make a difference. It can be significant, even life changing. Once
a year we get to reset, giving ourselves an opportunity to write off
our bad habits of the past and start anew. Every new year, gyms
get fuller, salads more popular in restaurants and everyone more
energetic with projects that are part of our New Year’s resolutions.

Along with those promises we make to ourselves (whether we keep
them or not) comes a variety of interesting, some might say strange,
rituals to bring on the change we seek as the calendar starts another
cycle.

In the hills of North Carolina several traditions accompany January 1,
that offer no real proof they will make your year better. Yet we do them
anyway. Superstition? Yeah, probably.

One of the most pervasive is our food. If we are what we eat, what we eat
on New Years Day symbolize how it’s going to go for the next twelve months.
Consuming black eyes peas and cooked cabbage (substitute collard greens or
sauerkraut) supposedly all relate to the money you will make in the coming year.
Cabbage signifies dollars, think green, and black eyed peas, the pennies. Why?
No one seems to know. It has just been passed from one generation to another.
Alternates include cornbread and pork as financial stand-ins. But the oddity
is that all those dishes were staples of southern cuisine for the past several
centuries. In other words, we were already eating this stuff for a long time.

By the way, the reason for eating pork is that someone, somewhere noticed

88



that pigs cannot turn their heads. The
significance to its consumption is that
they can’t look back, a good omen

for us as we enter the coming year.
Conversely, the logic extends to
animals like chickens, which should
not be part of the first meal. Since
they have wings and might take
flight, the belief is that your money
might do the same, something you
do not want.

Fireworks at midnight are not unique
to the foothills but it is quite possible
the custom comes from a practice that’s a
variation of a tradition that has remained long
popular among Tarheels. Since the colonial era
neighbors traveled house to house as one year turned to the next,
firing their muskets as they greeted each other, then wishing them
well. Sometimes the encounter included the recitation of a poem,
phrase or Bible verse for those they see. Maybe fireworks substituted
for the ritual because in later years cases of falling bullets have been
linked to serious, even fatal, gunshot wounds.

The tradition of congregating comes as an offshoot of going
house to house and greeting each other during the first
moments of New Years Day. Some people might come out
to wish each other health and prosperity in the coming
year but they may also want to witness the spectacle of
seeing what drops. Yes, drops. Everything from a giant
pickle to possums have been lowered in the last minutes of
the old year to herald the new one. The practice of dropping
anything comes from right where you think it would, New
York City in 1908 when the tradition began. Since then, folks
have gotten creative about what they drop.

One popular event for New Years Eve are church ‘watch night’ services. For
Methodists, the observance dates back to the time of the denomination’s
founder John Wesley who may have devised the activity to keep Christians

from the drunken revelry often associated with ringing in the new year.

Some say whatever we do on New Year’s day sets the precedent for what we
do the rest of the year and while it gives us a head start for the other 365 days
in 2020, it goes against the idea that the day is a holiday, a day of rest and
observance. It may be more important what you should not do on January 1.
Mountain tradition holds that you should not wash clothes that day or else
you A) wash away prosperity or B) whoever’s clothes you wash on New Years
Day, you will be washing a dead person’s apparel before the end of the year.
While it doesn’t make a lot of sense, you probably don’t want to push your
luck either.

One tradition that at the least might be called peculiar, at most misogynistic is
the idea that the first person to cross your threshold in the new year should
not be a female. That supposedly brings bad luck. Instead, young boys went
house to house after midnight to assure the household a good year. In
gratitude the family paid the boy for his entry which probably explains who
benefited from the superstition and why is was spread for years.

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FURNISHING HOMES AROUND THE WORLD FOR 60 YEARS

As strange as all these annual rituals sound, other customs around the
world make ours look “not so strange”. In Spain, celebrants eat a grape
with each toll of the bell at midnight. Brazilians wear special underwear
(red for health, yellow for wealth) as they bring in the new year. From the
land that gave us the our first democracy, Greece, they also give us the
practice of hanging an onion on their door for luck. Parents use the same
onion to tap the head of their children in bed on New Year’s Eve. Maybe
eating black eyed peas and cabbage is not such a bad alternative, huh?
Whether you practice tradition or just enjoy the day, whether your
traditions work or not, whether they change your life or not, if your
celebration keeps you looking forward in the New Year, keep the tradition
alive.

Richard Eller is the Catawba Valley Community College Historian-in-Residence with
the Historical Association of Catawba County. Among his publications are both a
documentary and book on Piedmont Airlines, the former appearing on UNC-TV. He
has since produced a documentary on the 1944 Polio Epidemic as well as contributed
to a volume on the same subject. He is currently working on a documentary on “The
Untouchables” as well as multiple volumes on the residents of Hickory’s Harper House.

Fox & Hound

A CIVIL DISCOURSE

WITH JAMES THOMAS SHELL AND SARAH EVERLY

From Sarah Everly: I am standing over a pile of my children’s cast aside toys, completing the tedious

work of figuring out which toys should be donated and which ones are fit for the trash can. “All of it is plastic.
Every single toy is plastic. How big is their carbon footprint?”, I whisper to my husband, in reference to our
three and four year old boys. There is no response. We are both speechless, standing in the realization that
we are a deeply rooted part of the problem. Realizing that if we continue this way, we are handing our
children a broken, and potentially unfixable planet.

Between the temperatures that climb higher each year, and the media coverage of a wise
beyond her years girl with braids in her hair, the presence of the climate crisis is hard
to miss. What doesn’t seem to be hard for people is ignoring the signs and living
as if our planet is the ultimate renewable resource. It’s not. Every piece of litter
thrown from a car window, every piece of recyclable waste thrown in the trash
bin, every drop of water wasted, is another nail in our planet’s proverbial
coffin. And yet, we march on. In the place where legislation increasing our
sustainability should stand, there is another rotting landfill. In the place
where simple changes could make massive impacts, stands another
factory churning out plastic bags and straws by the thousands. The
thing about climate change is that we have the power to impact, and
diminish its effects. We just have to act.

There’s a quote I remember from my ninth grade civics and economics
class that goes along the lines of “bad politicians are elected by
citizens that chose not to vote”. The climate crisis is much the same.
Our planet continues warming because citizens across the globe think
that one reusable straw won’t make a difference, or a couple plastic
bags won’t hurt. We fail to look at the big picture. If every citizen used
only reusable grocery bags, it would eliminate millions of pounds of
waste per year, and soon the factories mindlessly churning out enough
plastic bags to effectively suffocate our planet would take notice. In a

94

perfect world, they would quickly switch to making bags out of palm or pineapple pulp. If every citizen
called into their state representatives and asked for sustainable legislation, we would see tangible
progress. The facts are clear, if we do not act NOW we are willingly walking into a mass extinction.

From James Thomas Shell: Talkin ‘bout climate change and sustainable living. I like to

think that the cornerstone of my life philosophy is Reality. About half of us, in American society
today, believe that the information delivered from the Corporate Media Outlets (Television,
Print, and Radio) has very little reality or value.

Five Corporations essentially control television and internet. Print and Radio are also heavily
controlled by America’s largest corporations. I believe those companies provide information to
push forward their personal agenda.

My opening qualifier relates to not being pigeon-holed into certain beliefs based upon certain
narratives promoted by Corporate Politics. I truly do believe in “Conservation”, because I am
a Conservative. I grow a garden every year. I compost and recycle waste materials. I “can”,
dehydrate, and give away food. My economic reality dictates efficient use of electricity at home
and with regards to transportation costs. So, I would say that I am personally responsible when
it comes to my energy usage.

I understand that there is climate change on the planet. Temperature and weather conditions
change with the day and with seasons. There have been chronicles about periods of heating
and cooling since recorded history began. The dynamic forces that bring us our environmental
reality are too numerous for us to micromanage. Do we need to be good stewards of the planet?
Who doesn’t want to be? Who says, “I’m against taking care of the planet.” The issue is, Do I
want someone imposing arbitrary rules and regulations on me that benefit the Elite few, while
turning my economic reality into a glorified Feudal Colony system. The question is, “What
do you actually do today that contributes positively towards the stewardship of
the planet?”

In 2008, it wasn’t a coincidence that the economy tanked when fuel and
energy costs shot through the roof around the world. In July 2008, Oil
peaked at $147 per barrel, but once the Great Recession took hold
it had fallen to $32 by December. We learn that a poor economy
reduces fuel costs and usage.

During that time, Oil Man T. Boone Pickens made a push for
Americans to get onboard the renewable resource bandwagon.
As an Energy Entrepreneur, he heavily invested in a wind energy
corridor in the middle of America. He found some traction, but
Republicans and Democrats worked together to fight his plan.
Republicans fussed about affordability, while Democrats derided
the environmental impact. Maintaining the status quo was one
thing that had bi-partisan support in every way other than lip
service.

When it comes to Big Energy lip service, kickbacks, corruption, and
payoffs have surrounded the industry since oil was first commercially

extracted in Titusville, Pennsylvania in 1859. The hockey stick curve of population growth we
have experienced over the past 160 years began/correlates with the growth provided by the
Thermodynamic efficiency and low cost of oil as an energy resource.

Current World population is estimated at 7.7 billion people. That is up a billion over the past
decade and nearly a 5-fold increase since 1900. From 1 AD to 1850 AD World population
increased 4-fold. From 1850 to 2019 it increased 6 1/2-fold.

We’ve seen some bad consequences of human interaction and corporate reality versus
Mother Nature with respect to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico in April
2010 and the meltdown of the reactors at the Fukashima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan
on March 11, 2011.

We can talk all day long about the issues of sustainability on Earth. There’s one thing for sure.
Lip service and politics won’t build the bridge from reality to the future.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

6 Corporations Control 90% Of The Media In America - https://www.morriscreative.com/6-corporations-control-90-of-the-media-
in-america/ ... (Note: CBS is in the process of acquiring Viacom)
Pickens Plan - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pickens_Plan : T. Boone Pickens Officially Gives Up on Texas Wind Power - https://www.
fastcompany.com/1514275/t-boone-pickens-officially-gives-texas-wind-power
World Population - https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/

Sarah Everly’s Question: Could you elaborate on why you think climate focused legislation

would turn into a “glorified feudal colony system”?

Response From James Thomas Shell: Because the Elite control government though

politics and economics. The burden of carbon taxes will hit the middle class and poor the
hardest and benefit the wealthy. It is a regressive tax. There is an energy component in the
production of every product. The cost of living will shoot through the roof and wages will
not rise to meet it. Welcome to serfdom. This whole thing of Socialists talking about love
and tolerance, then allowing their passion to lead to feelings and words that are quite the
opposite is unbecoming and not going to get them what they want. The President is not an
imbecile and just because you don’t agree with him doesn’t mean that he is some ‘Sociopathic’
liar. The President is a salesman and an entrepreneur. He embellishes some points to push
his narrative and he is an excellent tactician. Barack Obama did the same exact types of
promotion for his platform.

On to reality... People like myself want solar, wind, geothermal, and hydroelectric. I can show
you where there are environmentalists that have stood in the way of such developments.
Nuclear fission isn’t an option right now. The energy created is great, but the waste product
associated

Response Question James Thomas Shell: Sarah, we can always see issues with

our planet and humanity. We live down here in the forest on what many people call the Big
Blue Marble. Talk to me about the Big Picture. Tell me about some proposals. Let’s talk about
solutions... the future... your ideas on conservation and population. Is it Earth you are worried
about? or Humanity?

Response From Sarah Everly: If I’m being honest it’s the planet I fear for, but even more

terrifying is a human race that willingly ignores the very real and imminent climate catastrophe.
How can we save a planet when humanity is clinging to their toxic habit of taking and taking and

96

taking from Mother Earth? So I think my answer is that I’m terribly worried about both.

As for my proposals, I have many suggestions. Pick a couple and apply them to your life. Recently,
environmental activists have shed a light on how the meat industry, especially the red meat
industry, is impacting our environment. From the toxins fed to livestock to the millions of gallons
of gas spent driving meat from farm to factory, to store, to table. It’s clear that the meat industry
is victimizing our planet. Of course I do not expect all of humanity to give up meat cold turkey (see
what I did there?), but implementing one meat free day each week can drastically reduce these
harms. Other small changes could include “going dark” one night per week(or month to start).
Leave the TV off, light some candles or a lantern, and spend your evening with no electricity. Sure
this won’t solve all the problems, but if thousands of households are going dark each night we are
reducing our negative effects drastically. The most important thing you can do to be proactive
is to call your state representatives. Climate change needs representation to, and your activism
and calls to action can provide that. Use reusable straws/bags/ziplocks, ditch the paper plates,
carpool, shop at your local farmers market, go organic, line dry your clothing, go solar, go electric,
compost, etc... The list of options is vast, choose several. Choose our planet. Choose our future.

Hound, it is wonderful that you live your life conscious of waste and sustainability and I’m proud
to be doing the same, but we mustn’t live under a compost rock. Every day there are greed filled
beings fighting against progress on this matter. We are governed by a tweeting imbecile who
has informed his supporters with lies about emissions, and tweets declaring climate change to
be an elaborate hoax. We need legislation now. The meat industry and the medical industry

OR 3.9

“Third Generation Now Serving The Unifou
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are producing waste
industries absolutely

toxicity. Legislation that enforces stricter guidelines and imposes large taxwhwikews .itfocroom.cpoanmies don’t
comply is absolutely the best plan. Please elaborate on how you believe that these guidelines and hikes

would lead to a glorified feudal colony system. How can holding our transgressors accountable lead

to such horror for the rest of us? Climate change is here, I’m ready to do the dirty work if it means my

children are left a thriving planet.

Response From James Thomas Shell: This whole thing of Socialists talking about love and

tolerance, then allowing their passion to lead to feelings and words that are quite the opposite is
unbecoming and not going to get them what they want. The President is not an imbecile and just
because you don’t agree with him doesn’t mean that he is some ‘Sociopathic’ liar. The President
is a salesman and an entrepreneur. He embellishes some points to push his narrative and he
is an excellent tactician. Barack Obama did the same exact types of promotion for his platform.
On to reality... People like myself want solar, wind, geothermal, and hydroelectric. I can show you
where there are environmentalists that have stood in the way of such developments. Nuclear
fission isn’t an option right now. The energy created is great, but the waste product associated
with the corporate model is too dangerous for the long term liability issues it creates. We can’t
stop looking to create progress when it comes to energy. Entrepreneurs and the marketplace are
what have created advances in our society.

Thomas Malthus had the same type of dystopic vision that the Socialists of today have. In 1798,
he wrote about Population growth soon outstripping food production leading to a Humanitarian
crisis of mass starvation. His reality was a rudimentary Agrarian world. Technological advances
and societal development led by Entrepreneurialism created marketplace solutions. Dynamic
forces can always overcome static reality. The people of the past would flip out witnessing the
technological wizardry of today.

Wrapping up: Sure, we have challenges that lie ahead. Let’s talk about positive evolution and
constructive creativity. Statistics show more efficient energy usage, fewer emissions, and less
pollution in America. We aren’t the bad guy. There is currently more money being spent on
Renewable Energy than at any point in history -- in 2018 over a quarter trillion dollars... more than
on fossil fuels. The United States today is far less vulnerable to geopolitical vulnerabilities related
to energy, because of Liquefied Natural Gas and Shale Oil production. Profit from these resources
is building the bridge to future new alternatives that are even cleaner and more efficient.

Population will increase and I’m more worried about the vulnerability of the aging electric grid.
We need to be investing in that and personal energy independence. If we learn to be personally
responsible for (micromanage) ourselves, then the planet will be better for it.

fD

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Winter Wonderland

in the Black Mountains

Story and Photography by Kat Dellinger

Hiking in the Black Mountains and Toe River Valley near Burnsville, NC is a very rewarding
experience. The area has a wide variety of terrain to explore ranging from lush river valleys
to majestic mountain ridges, most notable the Black Mountain Crest Trail (BMCT). A 12.4 mile
point to point trek, the BMCT requires a shuttle. However, you can experience the trail as a
section hike and still experience some amazing views by doing a loop hike using the Colbert
Ridge Trail and Woody Ridge Trail.
Starting near the Carolina Hemlocks Campground, the Colbert Ridge Trail is one of the main
access points to the BMCT and helps form one of the only loops on the northern section of
the Black Mountains. The trail is very steep and technical, so please be prepared. Climbing 3.9
miles, Colbert Ridge has only one reliable spring for water about 300 yards south of the Crest
Trail. Once you reach the intersection with the BMCT in Deep Gap, head north. The trail gives
you an amazing combination of views, wilderness isolation and top of the world feel.
When you come to the junction with the Woody Ridge Trail, take a right and head down back to
your car. This trail is extremely steep, root-bound and treacherous in places. If there has been
a recent rain storm (or ice storm), you will be sliding on your butt for a good bit. Trekking poles
are a definite on this hike. This is not for the novice and requires plenty of logistical planning -
be prepared and leave your trail plan with friends and=or family back home. As with all difficult
hikes, the rewards are worth the effort.

100